Method of making needle-and-suture assembly



April 10, 1928. 1,665,216

H. D. MORTON ET AL METHOD OF MAKING NEEDLE AND SUTURE ASSEMBLY Filed July 50. 1925 gliii v i w a a A 2 nn 3 INVENTORS lfarryllMorzon, and Mo ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY D. MORTON AND MORGAN PARKER, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF MAKING NEEDLE-AND-SUTURE ASSEMBLY.

Application filed July 30, 1925. Serial No. 46,937.

The fOllOWing is a description of a needleand-suture assembly and methods of and means for making the same embodying our invention in the form and manner at present preferred by us; but it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention and without exceeding the scope of our claims.

In an application for United States Letters Patent No. 1,558,037, filed June 17, 1925. Serial N 0. 37,599, Harry D. Morton disclosed a surgical needle-and-suture assembly and methods of making the same, said invention comprising a needle having formed in its shank a recess in substantial axial alignment with said needle, in which recess a suture is adapted to be anchored. The present invention relates to specific methods of and means for attaching such a suture, which we have found may be effectually anchored by expanding, when in a dry state and by the action of heat, the portion thereof inserted in said recess.

Our invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which we have illustrated the preferred manner of carrying out our invention, and in which Fig. 1 shows, partly in elevation and partly in section, a needle having formed in its shank a substantially axial recess, which may be generally cylindrical in shape and which may have a constricted neck or open: ing; Fig. 2 shows in section an enlarged view of the shank end of said needle, with a tapered end portion of a suture inserted there- 111; Fig. 3 shows in section the same view as that shown in Fig. 2, after the inserted portion of the suture has been expanded by the action of heat, so that it conforms, more or less completely, to the shape of the recess whereby it becomes anchored therein; and Fig. at shows means for holding the needleand-suture assembly in position and for applying heat to the shank portion of the needle while so held, in order that the heat maybe conducted to and expand the inserted end of the suture. 7 Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to the drawings: 1 is a needle, which may be of any desired body size and shape; 2 is a recess formed in the shank thereof in any suitable manner, such as by drillingsaid recess initially being preferably cylindrical or slightly tapering in shape and of such diameter, relative to the outside diameter of the shank, as to leave only a thin surrounding wall; 3 is the neck or opening of the recess, after having been constricted, as by swaging or spinning, to a diameter smaller than the diameter of the body of the recess; and 4 is a catgut suture, such as is commonly employed in surgery. In order to strengthen the needle at the juncture of the solid portion of the shank and the shell portion thereof formed by the wall of the recess, we preferably leave a fillet between the bottom of the recess and the wall thereof. In order to facilitate the inward swaging or spinning of the upper portion of the recess wall, we may initially taper this wall from the bottom toward the top thereof. Referring to Fig. 4: 5 represents a support for the needle, comprising an electrical conductor (preferably made of copper), which support is electrically connected by line 6, through adjustable resistance 7, to one terminal of secondary winding 8 of transformer 9, having primary winding 10. The opposite terminal of secondary winding 8 is connected by line 11 to switch member 12 (formed of carbon or other suitable conducting material), mounted upon insulator 13, attached to push-rod 14, vertically movable in bearing 22, attached to which bearing is insulator 23, carrying switch member 15, connected by line 16 to lever 17 (comprising an electrical conductor and being preferably formed of copper), pivotally mounted upon fulcrum 18. The right-hand end of lever 17 carries pin 19, loosely fitting in and elec trically insulated from the yoke portion, 20, of push-rod 14. Expansion spring 2]. normally holds push-rod 14 against cam 24. whereby the left-hand end of said lever 17 is maintained out of contact with needle 1. and whereby switch members 12 and 15 are separated, leaving the electric circuit open.

The mode of operation of the device of Fig. 4 is as follows: The needle, with the suture end inserted, is manually held in posi tion on support 5, and cam-shaft 25 is rotated in any well-known manner, as by a pedal operating a clutch to connect shaft 25 with a driving motor or other source of power. The rotation of cam 24 in the direction indicated by the arrow forces pushrod 14. upward in its bearing left-hand end of lever 17 into contact with needle 1 and closing the electric circuit through contact of switch member 12 with 22, bringing switch member 15. The high resistance of the thin shell of the shank portion of needle 1, relative to the resistance of conductors 5 and 17, quickly results in the heating'oi the walls or the recess and ot' the end of the suture inserted therein. when catgutis subjected to a considerable degree of heat, it very quickly expands laterally-the increase in diameter being as much as and even more. This expansion is permanent, the heat appearing to produce a marked change in the structure of the catgut,'rendering the same hard and tough, like horn. The best results seem to be obtained when a high degree of heat is applied for a very brief period of time say one or two seconds. Under these conditions the expanded portion of the catgut is apparcntly forced with considerable pressure against the wall of the recess, and this pressure, acting in conjunction with the construction of theneck ot' the recess, afiiords a vcr effectual anchoring. The change in the structure of the ca'tgut, resulting from the operation of our invention, renders it peculiarly resistant to attempts to withdraw the suture from the recess. It the heat applied to the inserted end of the catgut be too great, orii such end be subjected to the action of a lesser degree of heat for too long a time, the material is weakened. \Ve therefore provide means, comprising adjustable resistance 7, for controlling the degree of heat which may be applied to the suture; and we regulate the time during whichcit is exposed to heat action by varying the speed of shait 25 in any well-known manner. This time of exposure may also be governed by employing cams of diiierent contours. We are thus enabled to subject the suture to the precise degree of heat and period of exposure which experience may show will produce the best results with the particular needle and suture materials. EV e are thus able not only, to effect the expansion of the inserted end of the suture with nicety, but at the same time to avoid drawing the temper oi? the shank portion of the needle. The advantages of employing a needle wl'iich is hai lened and tempered throughout are set 'l orth in the aforesaid application of Harry 1 Morton.

Ne preferably taper the end of the suture in order to facilitate the inserting of the end thereof in the constricted recess. This may be accomplished by holding a portion of the suture rigidly, as in a clamp, and bringing a projecting end (about 1 inch or less in length) thereof into contact with a rapidly revolving abrasive surface which is simultaneously jecting end. The end of the suture is thereby ground or abraded to the desired form.

' Dueto the brief exposure required to produce a considerable GXPEH'ISlOXl of the insert- 7 and toughening effect resulting W'e have found that rotated around. such proed end of the suture and to the hardening from the application oi: heat, our invention comprises simple, e'dective and inexpensive means whereby a catgut suture may be permanently attached to a surgical needle. The advantages, in the art of surgery, of attaching a suture toa needle by anchoring said suture in an axial recess formed in the end of the shank of such needle are fully set forth in the application of Harry 1). Morton, hereinabove referred to.

It will. be apparent to those skilled in the art that our invention may be carried out with recesses of other forms than that illustrated in the drawings. For example, .the wall of the recess may be gradually (instead of abruptly) tapered; this wall may be cylindrical throughout its length, and may be tapped with a screw threa both large and small internal diameters ior anchoring purposes; or the'inside of the recess wall may be otherwise scarified in such a manner as to provide, in conjunction with the method of expanding the suture we disclose, an adequate anchorage.

it is-son'ietimes convenient for the surgeon,

in drawing such a suture through tissue, to tilt the needle so that itis out of alignment with the suture. In order to prevent the outer edge of the recess wall from cutting the suture, under these conditions, we. preterably round such edge. 7

it is to be understood that needle-andsuture assemblies made in accordance with our invention are to be hermetically sealed and sterilized in the usual manner, and that eachsuch assembly to be employed in a single surgical operation only.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. The method of attaching a suture to a needle which consists in forming in said needle a recess constricted in diameter near the opening thereof, inserting an endoi the suture in said recess and applying heat to the wall oi? said recess, whereby the inserted portion of said suture is expanded.

2. The method of attaching a suture to a needle which consists in forming a recess in the shank of the needle, constricting the neck of said recess, inserting anend of the suture d to give whi ch in said recess and applying heat to such insorted portion whereby it is expanded.

The method of attaching a suture to a needle which consists in forming a recess in the shank of: the needle, inserting an end 01 the suture in said recess, and expansively anchoring the same therein by the action of heat. r

4-. The method of attaching a suture to a needle which consists in forming in said needle a recess having an internal diameter some part of which is greater than its neck diameter, inserting a portion of the suture in said recess, and expanding such inserted portion by the action of heat.

5. The method of making a needle-andsuture assembly which consists in forming a recess in the needle, hardening and tempering said needle, inserting an end of the suture in said recess and anchoring the same therein by the action of heat applied to such inserted portion.

6. The method of making a needle-andsuture assembly which consists in forming a blind recess in the shank of a needle, hardening and tempering said needle, inserting an end oi": the suture in said recess and anchoring the same therein by the action of heat applied to said needle.

7. The method of attaching a suture to a needle which consists in inserting an end of said suture in a recess formed in said needle, applying heat to such inserted portion to expand the same, and automatically controlling the degree of heat and the time of exposure thereto.

8. The method of attaching a suture to a needle Which consists in inserting an end or" said suture in a recess formed in said needle, applying heat to such inserted portion to expand the same, and electrically regulating the degree of such heat.

9. The method of attaching a suture to a needle which consists in inserting an end of said suture in a recess formed in said needle and producing pressure between such inserted portion and the Wall of said recess by the action of heat.

10. The method of making a needle and suture assembly which consists in inserting an end of a suture element in a recess formed in a needle element and attaching said elements by the action or" heat applied to the Wall of said recess.

11. The method of attaching a suture element and a needle element which consists in inserting an end of the suture element in an opening formed in the needle element, including said needle element in an electric circuit, and applying to said suture element heat generated by the electrical resistance of said needle element.

12. The method of making a needle and suture assembly which consists in inserting an end of a suture element in a recess formed in a needle element and attaching said elements by the action of heat of a degree below the annealing temperature of said needle element.

HARRY D. MORTON. MORGAN PARKER. 

